Dispensing device



May`10, 1955 E. B. DUELL 2,708,026

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 2 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN EY5 May l0, 1955 E. B. DUELI. v 2,708,026 DISPENSING DEVICE Filed June 26, l.1.950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSING DEVICE Edith B. Duell, Princeton, N. J.

Application June 26, 1950, Serial No. 170,393 7 claims. (Cl. 20s-42) This invention relates to dispensing devices or containers for tablets or pills and is particularly useful for tablets of friable nature.

The primary object of my invention is the provision oi' a dispensing box for tablets or pills and a sliding cover therefor which, although slidable in both directions to uncover tablets for discharge, is limited in the amount of its opening movement in either direction.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a dispensing box and a two-way sliding cover therefor which is limited in its movement in each direction to uncover only one-half of the tablets contained in the box.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a dispensing box and a sliding cover therefor which, when slid to open position, has snap action, uncovering tablets progressively, one by one.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a dispensing box and a two-way sliding cover therefor which is yieldingly held in closed position.

Other objects of my invention have to do with features of construction enabling the positive positioning of a prof tective pad between the box and cover, for enabling molding of the device of plastic material and for enabling one-hand manipulation of the device.

How the foregoing, together with such objects and ladvantages as may appear hereinafter or are incident to Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary bottom views illustrating certain details of my invention;

4Figure 7 is an enlarged side elevational view;

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the f cover in section in its full open position in one direction; Figure 10 is an end elevation looking toward the right in Figure 7; and

Figure ll is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken on the line 11.-11 of Figure l.

The device comprises a box B and a sliding cover C i which I have termed a two-way slidable cover in that it may be slid in one direction to the full line position shown in Figure 3 and in the other direction to the dot and dash position indicated at C'.

The box B is provided with a plurality of pockets or recesses 12 for receiving tablets or pills 13, in this instance there being twelve pockets shown arranged in four diagonal rows of three each. The box and cover are preferably made of plastic material, and in molding the box of such material it is desirable to provide di- 21,708,026 Patented May 10, 1955 2 agonal grooves 14 between the diagonal rows of pockets 12 and also to provide corner recesses as shown at 15. These corner recesses are made sutlciently smaller than the tablets so that tablets cannot enter them either crosswise or edgewise.

The material of which the cover is made is such (for example a plastic) that the cover will have sufficient yield to enable it to be snapped into place on assembly and to permit of certain snap actions to be described hereinafter.

As will best be seen in Figures 9, 10 and 1l, longitudinally extending shallow flanges or lips 16 are formed at the upper edges of the sides of the box B under which the spaced guide tabs 17 of the cover C lit to hold it in sliding engagement with the box and against upward displacement. Directly under the anges 16 and at the opposed corners of the box, knobs 18 and 19 are formed to act as positioners for holding the cover in closed position against unintentional opening when engaged by the end tabs 20 and 21 at the corresponding opposed corners of the cover as shown in Figure l. For example, when the cover is slid from the open position shown in full lines in Figure 3 to its closed position, the cover tab 20 snaps over the box knob 18 to yieldingly hold it against movement back to the open position. Similarly when the cover is slid from the open position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 3 to its closed position, the cover tab 21 snaps over the box knob 19 to yieldingly hold it against movement back to the open position.

In order that the tablets or pills may be dispensed pro,- gressively one by one, I have provided a plurality of spaced knobs 22 under the ange 16 of the side wall 23 of the box and a plurality of similarly spaced knobs 24 under the ange 16 of the side wall 25 of the box with which the tabs 20 and 21 of the cover cooperate to yieldingly hold the cover in successive open positions, uncovering one tablet at a time for removal. In Figure 4 I have shown the cover opened to the position Where the tab 20 engages the first knob 22 and thus only uncoversvthe rst tablet completely for removal. In the next opening movement of the cover the tab 20 snaps over the first knob 22 and engages the second knob to completely uncover the second tablet and so on until the tab 20 engages the stop shoulder or abutment 26, as shown in Figures 3, 6 and 9.

In the showing of Figure 3 ive tablets have been progressively dispensed by the step-by-step opening of the cover just described, and the sixth tablet is uncovered ready to be dispensed. Since the cover has reached the limit of its movement to the right by engaging the abutment 26, it must now be moved to the left in order to dispense the remaining tablets and in so moving the cover the tab 20 snaps over the knobs 22 and 18 and then the tab 21 at the opposite corner of the cover snaps over the knob 19 and the cover starts to uncover the box. On continued movement of the cover to the left the tablets may be removed one by one, by the snap engagement with the spaced knobs 24 until the tab 21 engages the stop shoulder or abutment 27, thus limiting the opening movement of the cover in this direction.

I It will be seen from the foregoing that no matter which direction the cover is moved, either the knobs 22 or 24, according to the direction of movement, provide stepby-step snap action for dispensing the tablets one b yone, and that after the cover has reached the half-way open position, limiting stops are engaged to prevent its being removed from the box. This is of importance because when using the dispenser for tablets of a friable nature the tablets not being dispensed should be retained in the box, and I accomplish this by uncovering only one tablet at a time and by preventing removal of the cover fro the box in normal operation.

In order to further protect the tablets and to prevent their rattling in the box, I provide a pad 28 between the top of the box and the cover, the top face of the box being recessed at 29 to receive the pad in inset flush relation. By making the cover of transparent plastic this pad may be conceivably used for printed matter such as advertising.

Reverting now to the guide tabs 17 and referring par ti`cu1rly to Figure 2, it will be noted that the tabs at the opposed corner portions engage guide surfaces 3,0 on the box arid thus prevent cocking of the cover. 17 extend inwardly an amount such that they ride past the knobs 13, 19, 22 and 24 without snap action.

As an aid in opening and closing the cover especially for one-hand operation, I have provided a roughened or anti-slip surface 31 on the cover as by means of emboss ing or engraving and have provided a plurality of spaced ribs 32 on the bottom of the box acting as finger grips. A roughened surface similar to that on the cover may also be employed on the botto'rn of the box.

I claim:

l. A molded plastic dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a Ytwo-way slidable cover for the box, interengaging means between box and cover to hold the cover on Vthe box for sliding movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for 'the tablets to be dispensed, said pockets being arranged in rows extending diagonally across the box and said rows being spaced substantially apart longitudinally of the box, whereby to enable said tablets to dispense one by one upon progressive opening movement of the cover in each direction, diagonal grooves in the wail portions of said box between said diagonal rows of pockets, stopmeans limiting opening movement of the cover in both directions. said stop means including a stop member at each of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at each side or" the box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner partway along the length of the box whereby the respective stop on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion.

2. A molded plastic dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a two-way slidable cover for `the box, interen'gaging means between box and cover to hold the cover on the box for sliding movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for the tablets to be dispensed, said pockets being arranged in rows extending diagonally across the box and said "rows being spaced substantially apart longitudinally of the box, whereby to enable said tablets to dispense one by one upon progressive opening movement of the cover in each direction, diagonal grooves in the wall portions oi 'said ...3x between said diagonal rows of pockets, stop means limlting opening movement ofi tbc cover in both directions, said stop means including a stop member at each of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at each side of the box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner partway along the length Aof the box whereby the respective stop member on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion, and guide means at the sides of thc cover adapted to engage the box and located at a point intermediate the stop member and the inner end of said guide portion at the respective side.

3. A molded plastic dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a two-way slidable cover for the box, interengaging means between box and cover to hold the cover on the box for sliding movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for the tablets to be dispensed, said hpockets being arranged in rows extending diagonally across the box and said rows being spaced substantially apart longitudinallyof the bo'x, whereby to enable said tablets to dispense one by one upon progressive opening The tabs i movement of the cover in each direction, diagonal grooves in the wall portions of said box between said diagonal rows of pockets, stop means limiting opening movement of the cover in both directions, said stop means including a stop member at cach of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at cach side of the box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner part way along the length of the box whereby the respective stop member on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion, guide means at the sides of the cover adapted to engage the box and located at a point intermediate the stop member and the inne end of said guide portion at the respective side, and la orally projecting knobs at the sides of the box and space apart from one another longitudinally of the box adapted to cooperate with said last mentioned guide means to)` prcvent cocking of the cover. 4

4. A molded plastic dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a tngo-way slidable cover for the box, interengaging means between box and cover to hold the cover on the box forslidng movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for the tablets to be dispensed, said pockets being arranged in rows extending `diagonally across the box and said rows being spaced substantially apart longitudinally of the box, whereby to enable said tablets to dispense one by one up'on progressive `opening movement of the cover in each direction, diagonal grooves in the wall portions of said box `between said diagonal rows of pockets, stop means limiting opening movement of the cover in both directions, said stop means including a stop member at each of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at each side of the box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner part way along the length of the box whereby the respective stop member on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion, guide means at the sides of the cover adapted to engage the box and located at a point intermediate the stop member and the inner end of said guide portion at the respective side, and laterally i projecting knobs at the sides ot the b'ox and spaced apart .f from one another longitudinally of the box adapted to l cooperate with said last mentioned guide means to pie/ vent cocking of the cover, said knobs also cooperating, with said corner stop members to yieldingly ffect step-k by-step opening of the cover to uncover said `tablets forl dispensing them one by one. 5. A dispensing container for tablets or the lke comprising a box for the tablets, a two-way slidable cover for the box, intcrengaging flange means between the box and cover to hold the cover on the box for sliding movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for the tablets to be dispensed, said pockets being arranged i'n rows extending diagonally across the box, and stop means limiting opening movement of tlicl cover in both directions, said stop means 'comprising a stop member at each of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at each side of thc box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corncr i part way along thc length of the box whereby the rel spective stop member on the cover will engage the cnd l of the guide portion. ,l 6. A dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a two-way slidable cover/ for the box, interengaging flange means between the bol and cover to hold the cover on the box for sliding move/- ment. a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom w/ll of said box for the tablets to be dispensed said pock ts being arranged in rows extending diagonaily across t. c box, and stop means limiting opening movement of the cover in both directions, said stop means comprising d stop member at each of two opposite diagonal *corncrs\ of the cover and a guiding portion at each side of ythe box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner part way along the length of the box whereby the respective stop member on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion, and cooperating guide means on cover and box, at each side thereof, located intermediate the respective stop member and the inner end of the respective guide portion.

7. A dispensing container for tablets or the like comprising a box for the tablets, a two-way slidable cover for the box, interengaging ange means between the box and cover to hold the cover on the box for sliding movement, a plurality of spaced pockets in the bottom wall of said box for the tablets to be dispensed, said pockets being arranged in rows extending diagonally across the box, and stop means limiting opening movement of the cover in both directions, said stop means comprising a stop member at each of two opposite diagonal corners of the cover and a guiding portion at each side of the box at the other opposite diagonal corners of the box, each guide portion extending from its respective corner part way along the length of the box whereby the respective stop member on the cover will engage the end of the guide portion, and cooperating guide means on cover and box, at each side thereof, located intermediate the respective stop member and the inner end of the respective guide portion, said cooperating guide means on the box being adapted to cooperate with the respective stop member at a corner of the cover to yieldingly effect step-by-step opening of the cover to uncover said tablets for dispensing them one by one.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,663,103 Thompson Mar. 20, 1928 2,057,180 Berg Oct. 13, 1936 2,162,222 Lachter June 13, 1939 2,295,747 Mills Sept. l5, 1942 2,309,111 Hothersall Jan. 26, 1943 2,353,819 Duell July 18, 1944 2,378,003 Duell June 12, 1945 2,411,471 Sherman Nov. 19, 1946 2,503,693 Van Lennep Apr. 11, 1950 2,534,100 Baumgartner Dec. 12. 1950 

